The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) is responsible for developing, refining, and maintaining a universal virus taxonomy. The ICTV's task includes classifying virus species and higher-level taxa based on genetic and biological properties, naming virus taxa, maintaining a database detailing the approved taxonomy, and providing this information through an open-access web site. The ICTV web site (http://ictv.global) offers access to the current taxonomy database in online and downloadable formats, and maintains a complete history of virus taxa since 1971. The ICTV also publishes the ICTV Report on Virus Taxonomy, which provides a comprehensive description of all virus taxa. The ninth report, published in 2012, is available as an open-access online publication, and the tenth report is being published online, replacing the previous hard-copy edition with a fully open-access, continuously updated publication. The ICTV database stores virus taxonomy, taxon names, and associated metadata, and can be accessed visually through the taxonomy browser on the ICTV web site. The database utilizes a relational schema built using Microsoft SQL Server, and each record stores data on a single taxon, including its name, numerical ID, parent taxon, release number and date, most recent taxonomic change, and a pointer to its previous record if changes have occurred. The ICTV is also partnering with the Journal of General Virology to publish short summaries of each report chapter, known as ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profiles. The ICTV is facing challenges due to the increasing diversity of viruses discovered through metagenomic sequencing projects, and is adapting its policies and procedures to handle this new information.The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) is responsible for developing, refining, and maintaining a universal virus taxonomy. The ICTV's task includes classifying virus species and higher-level taxa based on genetic and biological properties, naming virus taxa, maintaining a database detailing the approved taxonomy, and providing this information through an open-access web site. The ICTV web site (http://ictv.global) offers access to the current taxonomy database in online and downloadable formats, and maintains a complete history of virus taxa since 1971. The ICTV also publishes the ICTV Report on Virus Taxonomy, which provides a comprehensive description of all virus taxa. The ninth report, published in 2012, is available as an open-access online publication, and the tenth report is being published online, replacing the previous hard-copy edition with a fully open-access, continuously updated publication. The ICTV database stores virus taxonomy, taxon names, and associated metadata, and can be accessed visually through the taxonomy browser on the ICTV web site. The database utilizes a relational schema built using Microsoft SQL Server, and each record stores data on a single taxon, including its name, numerical ID, parent taxon, release number and date, most recent taxonomic change, and a pointer to its previous record if changes have occurred. The ICTV is also partnering with the Journal of General Virology to publish short summaries of each report chapter, known as ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profiles. The ICTV is facing challenges due to the increasing diversity of viruses discovered through metagenomic sequencing projects, and is adapting its policies and procedures to handle this new information.